LITTLE LEAGUE: Coach Did Not Maliciously Shove Nine Year Old

A local Little League board says it didn't find that a coach, who is also mayor of Vanceboro, maliciously shoved a nine year old player during a game last Monday.

In a letter obtained by WITN News, the Twin Rivers Little League Board said while they concurred with game officials that there was coach interference with Jordan Jones, the child was not maliciously shoved.

Jessica Coward, the boy's mother, wanted Vanceboro Mayor Chad Braxton punished after she says he pushed her son at third base Monday night.

Coward had home video of what happened.

Braxton told us last week he did nothing wrong. "I did not forcefully push the kid, no," Braxton told WITN. "No crying, no blood, no bruises, no doctor, he runs off the field. Nobody says anything."

The local Little League board met Thursday night to discuss what happened, but would not released its decision to the media.

In the letter, acting league president David Dunn told Coward they did approve her request to have her son moved to another team. It says the board will purchase Jordan a new jersey and hat.

Coward says while she's glad her son is being moved to another team, she is disappointed no action was taken against the coach. The mother says she is now contacting Little League International.

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Jessica Coward says Vanceboro Mayor Chad Braxton who is a coach of her son's little league team needs to be punished after pushing her son at third base Monday night.

The Twin Rivers Little League Baseball Board met Thursday night to discuss the incident, and made a decision but is not releasing it to the media.

Board Vice President David Dunn says a decision has been made and will be sent by certified mail to the mother of the child.

Coward says home video shows Braxton shoving her son at third base.

"He got really upset that Jordan didn't slide and that's when he physically pushed him," Coward said. "Chad, his coach, told him to slide, Jordan did not slide and that's when Chat lost his temper and started yelling at him and physically pushed him on third base."

Coward said her son was not hurt but was thrown out of the inning due to coach interference.

Braxton said he didn't do anything wrong.

"I did not forcefully push the kid, no," Braxton told WITN. "No crying, no blood, no bruises, no doctor, he runs off the field. Nobody says anything."

Braxton says he has never been accused of pushing a player in the past and that the umpire did not feel his interaction with the player was malicious.

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